As soon as we walked in the door from yet another doctor visit (I've lost track at this point!), I went to the kitchen window. Two of the babies were perched precariously on the plastic branches of my lovely artificial plant.
They fluttered their little wings (which seem to have magically appeared over-night) and suddenly one of them took flight (I'm so disappointed in the quality of the picture. I hope if you enlarge it you can see the little out-spread wings.)
Number two stepped to edge and sailed away into new life. Mama and Papa were close by. She flew down to the ground where they landed and offered encouragement.
Papa stood guard from a nearby tree. He then resumed feeding duties. Of the four babies left, two are much further behind the others. They're the ones I worried about. They were scrunched under the others in the nest and seemed to miss out on a lot of the meals. I am hopeful they will do well, but Mama seems to have lost interest in feeding. She is all about getting them out of the nest.
And then there were four.
Blessings from your bird-obsessed friend!
Linda
